Chapter16
Aurora heard the front door open and the rumble of masculine voices floating up the stairs as the butler spoke to someone. She jumped to her feet, hoping Drew had finally come to her. She had been expecting him every moment since she’d first arrived at Conduit Street.
Her stomach fluttered with excitement. It had been some time since he’d been within reach. And when she did reach him at last, there were any number of things she wanted to do with him, starting, of course, with kisses. She was going to enjoy every moment she had with her handsome lord.
She stood, collected herself, and headed for the door of her boudoir wearing her prettiest blue dress and smile just for him. She was a mistress now and had unique responsibilities, few of them proper. She glanced down the staircase to see Drew was still in the entrance hall, handing off his hat and gloves to Jenson, her new butler, a small trunk resting at his feet.
Drew looked up suddenly and smiled to seeing her watching him. “Now there’s a sight for sore eyes. Good afternoon, my dear.”
Aurora rushed the rest of the way down the stairs to him, raising her face for a kiss despite the servant lingering nearby, and jumped into his opening arms. The servant slowly backed away from them and disappeared, taking Drew’s trunk with him.
Sullivan kissed her soundly and then sighed as he pressed his forehead against hers. “I wasn’t sure you’d be here.”
“We have an arrangement. I’m yours until dawn,” she answered with pride and excitement in her heart. During the day, when he was gone, she intended to pursue her idea of a matchmaking career far from the society Drew moved in. She no longer needed money, but a hobby would help her pass the time until he returned. And when he made a proper match of his own, she would pursue the enterprise with more vigor.
But his marriage was none of her business anymore. She truly hoped they never discussed that again. She wanted to be happy, not argue with him constantly.
She embraced him tightly and then let him go. Being with him like this was all she needed. He was a man who kept his word. All the comforts of a home were now hers, as he’d promised.
Sullivan hooked her arm through his and held her at his side for a moment as he smiled down at her. “Have you eaten yet?”
She shook her head. “No, I was waiting for you to arrive. Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?”
“Indeed, I would, but later.” Sullivan’s arm snaked about her waist as soon as the servant was gone. “What do you think of the house now? Comfortable enough? Has everything been done to your satisfaction?”
She turned in his arms and inhaled his familiar scent as she looked up at him. She might never tire of it, or him. “I love it. Perfectly decorated to my taste. I cannot thank you enough.”
His smile was everything she’d hoped for. He’d moved mountains in the days they’d been apart just to please her. Everything she’d suggested when she was here last had been carried out. Furniture moved; drapes replaced in certain rooms. She was impressed and very grateful. She’d doubted he could do it all in one week and been proved quite wrong. But it couldn’t have been easy to rearrange the entire house in so few days.
“Might I tempt you with a drink, my lord,” she asked.
“There should be sherry in the library, too.” He grinned. “I remember you preferred that.”
She gaped at him, startled that he’d noticed her preference when he was supposed to be watching other ladies, and then a smile grew on her face. Drew surprised her at every turn. He was so thoughtful. “I believe I will have a small glass.”
He led her to the library, a small room without any books yet but lots of empty shelves. She’d have to do something about that soon. Not that she was a great reader, but the earl would expect her to have any number of dust collectors lying about for him to peruse when he was here. “I’ll pour,” he offered.
“No. No. It is my responsibility to wait on you while you are here, my lord.”
He frowned at her. “You may do whatever you care to for me, but I do not expect you to wait on me like a servant might.”
“It will be my pleasure to spoil you any way I can,” she assured him, smiling for his reluctance to make any demands. “What shall I pour for you, my lord?”
“There should be brandy somewhere about.”
“I know. I found it earlier. I came in here soon after I arrived and sampled all the bottles to know which was which.” Aurora went directly to the sideboard, and he followed, watching her pour for them both. “How long have you known? About my fondness for sherry, that is?”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I actually thought you preferred tea until late one night at Wharton’s. The special blend you all drank certainly stirred my curiosity, since it was never shared. Imagine my surprise when I helped myself to a cup of cold tea before the servants could clear it all away one night when you were done and gone off to bed.”
She winced. “My cousins and I enjoy the novelty and the pretty design on the tea set.”
His brow rose. “And fooling everyone else, I imagine, too.”
She raised a haughty brow in return. “Not you, apparently. Wharton doesn’t know half of what we got up to under his roof.” She sighed. “I will miss my cousins.”
He straightened. “Have they disowned you because of me?”
“No. They know my mind is made up and cannot be change, though they did try their best. All I meant was that I shall not see them nearly every day as I’ve become accustomed to. I’ll miss being able to stroll into their room when I cannot sleep just to talk to them late at night.”